Drill, tap and die index



Feb. 28, 1956 c. H. HAMILTON 2,736,426

DRILL, TAP AND DIE INDEX Filed March 18, 1955 26 26 26 2s 26 :1 I u e 8 I012 32 a2 24 24 20 I,

I N VEN TOR.

WQQ/MQ United States Patent 736,426. DRILL, DEX; Clark H l lamilton V hit tier, Calif. Application March 18; 1955, Serial No. 495,191

2 Claims- (Cl,v 2065-17) This invention relates: to. a new and improved case adapted. to be made indifferent sizes and shapes and having means. for combining and indexing drills, taps and dies in different sets appropriate for each standard size screw thread. i

In conventional drill cases or holders, drills are as.- sembledin sets of -standard sizes, tapsand dies are also individually packed in sets according to standard screw thread sizes. In connection with drill cases, the drill holder trays are commonly aranged one in front of the other, making it necessary in many instances to move several traystoselect thedrills desired.

Furthermore, when machinists or, the-like use theconventional: drill tap and die casesor holders, if, he'wishes to drill and tap a hole for any desired standardsizescr'ew thread, it will be necessary for him to check achart or hand book to find the correct tap drill or clearance hole drill for each screwbeing used, unless-he has memorized the charts, etc. Likewise, when drills, taps and dies are assembled in separate cases or holders, it is inconvenient to have these several cases on the work bench where the space is crowded because of other tools or components being worked on.

An object of the present invention is to provide a case which may be made in different sizes for compactly holding a selected number of drills, taps, and dies for a selected series of standard size screws for each different size case.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a case in which taps, tap drills, clearance hole drills, and dies are combined in individual sets for each standard size screw of any selected series of screw threads.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a drill holding means comprising an inner and an outer case in which a tap, tap drill, clearance hole drill, and die are assembled in sets in individual holders for each screw size in any selected series of screws.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a case having individual trays each being accessible without moving other trays and adapted to hold a tap, tap drill, clearance hole drill and die as complete sets for any selected series of standard screws. Said case having means for holding said trays in different selected positions relative to the case when said case is placed in either a vertical or horizontal position on the work bench.

And still another object of the present invention is to provide a case having means for pivotally supporting a plurality of trays in an adjacent relation, said trays having means for holding sets of drills, tap and die for any selected series of standard size screws and including means for spacing and aligning said trays relative to each other, said case and said trays having means cooperating to hold said trays in different selected positions relative to the inside of said case when said case is placed in a vertical or horizontal position on a work bench.

The invention will be described further in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

2,736,426 Pagtented Feb. 28, 19563 Fig. 1 is an assemblyview. ofzthe invention with the cover of thecase'openshowing. thenesting'. ofi the trays.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view. shown partly insection, showing one. means for positioning the: tra'ys inL'an angular or vertical position relativeatotthe inside ofth'e case.

Fig. 3-is.a view. of one of the trays, showing the nest ing of the drills, tap. and die. t

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary. view showing thecasein. a vertical position and the tray in anangular position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the: case in a horizontal position and the tray in avertical position.

Referring to Fig. 1, the invention includes an outer case generally indicated as having parallelside walls 11 and 12, a bottom wall 13and an upper wall 14;" A cover 16 is hingedly mounted as at 17 on one-side of. the case 10.

An inner case generally indicated as 20.is.formed. to snugly fit inside of the wall portions.1-1,1-2, 13:and 14 of the outer case 10. The upper end wall 29' is inclined to compensate for different length drills. The side walls 21- and 22 of the inner case 20, are provided with small rectangular openings 24, Figs. 1 and 2, which receive and retain a small pin extending the fullwidth of the inner. case 20. The ends of the pin 25 maybe swaged to fit into the rectangular openings 24 tothusprevent rotation of said pins. The pin 25 may normally berenioved by removing the innercase from said outer case and. flexing the side walls thereof; This pin 25 pivotally supports a plurality of trays 26 which may bemade of metal or plastic.

Asshown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the trays 26 are arranged substantially parallel with the side. 21 and22 of the inner case 20, and are indexed for different sizediscrew threads, and also provided with small cavities 28, 29 and 30 which vary in diameter and depth to receive drills and a tap as will presently be described. Likewise, the trays are also provided with a cavity 32 which is adapted to receive a thread cutting die as will presently be described. Each tray is also provided with a small angular surface 33. Each one of the trays 26 are provided with small bosses 35 on opposite sides thereof which cooperate in spacing and aligning the trays 26 inside of the case, and in any of several positions relative to said case. A suitable clip 37 is mounted inside the cover 16 to hold an appropriate counter-sink tool adapted for the selected size screws indexed on the trays 26.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the bottom wall of the inner case 20 is slotted to provide a plurality of fingers 38. The fingers 38 are formed as shown in Fig. 2, to engage the bottom surface of each of trays 26. The fingers 38 cooperate to retain the trays 26 in different positions relative to each other and the inside of the inner case 20 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In connection with Fig. 4, when the case 10 is standing vertically on the bench, and the machinist desires to select a specific drill and tap, that tray may be tilted forward to approximately 45 relative to the front of the case 10 for ease of use. The finger 38 will engage the angular surface 33 on the tray 26 to assist in maintaining the tray in this position. If the case 10 is positioned on its back as in Fig. 5, the lower front surface 40 of the tray 26, will engage the finger 38 adjacent the bottom wall 13 of the case 10. The finger 38 engaging the tray 26 as in Fig. 5 cooperates in maintaining the tray in this vertical position.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, in use each one of the trays 26 may be indexed as for example 6-32, 832, 1024, 1224 and A20. Other indexing classifications may be used depending upon the standard size screws selected for the particular series to be placed in the individual case. It may be noted that any number of trays may be assembled together to suit the size of case desired.

When assembling a particular set of drills, tap and die in a tray, as in Fig. 3, a clearance hole drill 43 is placed in the cavity 28, a tap drill 44 is placed in the cavity 29, a standard tap 45 is placed in the cavity 30, and a thread cutting die 46 is nested in the cavity 32. If desirable, the cavity 32 and therewith the thread cutting die may be eliminated.

It is conceivable that the trays 26 could be formed into a single member with the cavities 28, 29, 30 and 32 formed therein and this member could be used independently with or without being enclosed inside of a case as described above.

It is to be understood that the above detailed description is furnished to illustrate by way of example a suitable way for carrying my invention into effect and the invention is not to be restricted in scope to the details set out in the description, but covers the principle set out above.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is constructed, I declare that what I claim is:

l. A drill case comprising an outer casing having side also upper and lower end walls, a cover hingedly mounted on one of said side walls; an inner case frictionally mounted within said outer case and adapted to be removed therefrom, and having side walls extending substantially parallel with said side walls of said outer casing, and having a bottom wall substantially parallel with said lower end wall of said outer casing, said bottom wall of said inner case being slotted to provide a plurality of fingers; a rod supported by said side walls of said inner case, said rod being disposed in a removable relation relative to said inner case and substantially parallel to the bottom thereof; a plurality of trays pivotally mounted on said rod within said inner case, said trays being arranged in a parallel relation relative to the side walls of said inner case, and adapted to engage said fingers in said bottom wall of said inner case; means formed in said trays defining cavities of proportional size to receive diiferent size drills, a tap and a thread cutting die; and means on said trays to indicate the size of drills and tap in each of said trays.

2. A drill case comprising an outer case having side walls also upper and lower end walls, a cover hingedly mounted on one of said side walls; an inner case mounted inside of said outer case and having side walls substantially parallel to said side walls of said outer case and having a bottom wall, said bottom wall being slotted to provide a plurality of fingers adapted to be formed to provide a resilient action; a rod supported by said side walls of said inner case, said rod being disposed substantially parallel with said bottom wall of said inner case and in spaced relation relative thereto; a plurality of drill holding trays pivotally mounted by said rod within said inner case, and arranged in a parallel relation relative to the side walls of said inner case, said trays having means for maintaining said trays in a spaced relation relative to each other and in a position to be engaged by said fingers; and means on said trays adapted to cooperate with said fingers for retaining said trays in any selected position relative to the inside of said inner case.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,972,742 Kohlmetz Sept. 4, 1934 2,165,122 Ashberry July 4, 1939 2,590,307 Gibson Mar. 25, 1952 2,626,196 Sides Jan. 20, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 772,347 France "Aug. 13, 1934 

